The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-04-21

materials
Charles D. Berry. engaged largely in tho Aus
tra!lan trade said his i-m would have to move
20 New York if no relief were afforded.
Charles II. North, packer. said that the export
packing trade of Boston amounting to fifteen
millions annually, could not 60 on under the
present arrangement
Edward Kemble addressing the commission.
asked that the railroads should not be permitted
to single out certain class of citizens OF Boston
as benefciaries of the desired action of the COM
mission. If the roads could haul freight from
Chicago to Boston FOR export for % cents. why
could they not do il for consumption 1t was
fact, ne submitted, that at the same rates the
roads would make more money by hauling to
Boston than to New York. There was no rail-
road man, he presumed, who would deny that
there was a terminal charge at New York which
Boston traffic escaped. While the trunk lines
have done away with rebates and all secret ar
raneements yet they had voted to maintal n the
charge of cents hundred over the New York
rate-that was what the steamships were suffer
ing from. The distance was. perhaps, one
twentieth greater from Chicago to Boston than
to New ork. If rates to be based upon
distance. the rate from Boston would be
twenty-one, not twenty -five cents hundred.
The exporting class of Boston was SMALL the
local community was large By what principle
of justice was mechanic in England to be
afforded a better rate upon his barrel of -four
than mechanic IN Massachusetts
MI Torrey said that. SO far as the Fitchburg
road was concerned. if it could not do the export
trafnc except by taking the local traffic on the
same terms, then it would take it on those terms.
But the trunk lines would not assent to this.
This ended the hearing
The commissioners gave intimation as to
what their action would be. During the progress
of one Of the brief incidental discussions the
chairman remarked that if the law forbade re-
Dates the com mission had no power to suspend
or waive the legal provision. So far as they co.
the inquiries accord with the already expressed
of ha ron iSSio a l0ayA lnterDre-
tatiop of the law primarily to the railroad COM
panies themselves, and to confne its own opera
tons to the hearing of complaints of violations
OF the law and passage upon them.
Other Business Before the Commission.
WASHINGTON, April 20.--After the recess the
commission gave hearing to the representa-
tives of certain Northwestern railroad interests.
j. A. Hanley, general manager of the Minnesota
& Northwestern railroad, presented q petition
for an order to allow that line, in connection
with the Wabash g. Central Iowa Company. to
regulate its tariffs upon through business be-
tween ST. Louis and St. Paul and Minneapolis
to meet the water competition upon the Misss-
sippi; also, to allow the company to regulate its
tariffs between St Paul and Minneapolis and
Peoria to meet the competition between these
terminals, irrespective of its local tariff; also,
for an order to authorize rates in connection
with the Illinois Central upon through traffic to
meet competition upon the lake.
w. S. Mellen, general manager of the Wiscon-
sin Central lines, addressed the commission in
connection with his petition for the suspension
of the long and shorthau clause filed last week.
During an informal discussion of half an hour
these gentlemen made known their purpose to
file protests at another time against the continu
certain roads having connections through and
beyond St. Paul and Minneapolis give the
through rates from the points beyond to Chicago
upon grain. with the privilege of stopping it at
Minneapolis, having it converted into -four, and
then carried on to Chicago, practically at rates
which are bat fraction of the local rates from
Minneapolis to Chicago, and with which the nom
transit roads cannot compete The transit roads
had, to be sure, suspended the system for sixty
days, or pending action Of the commission. but
there was such an accumulation of transit" ma
teral on hand in Chicago that material which
had to pay the rates from Minneapolis could not
be sold in competition with it. 1t was also
stated that under the present rates much of the
flour made in Minneapolis, which formerly went
by rail- was being shipped to Duluth by line
wholly within the State of Minnesota and there
fore not subject OF the new law. there to be
stored to await the opening of navigation.
Attorneys for the Chicago, st. Paul, Mime
apols g. Omaha Railway Company. presented
petitions for relief from Section 4. so as to be
allowed to make rates from St. Paul and Mime
apolis to Superior and WasEburn. Wis. and Du-
luth. Mimi, to meet the rates fixed by the ST.
Paul e. Duluth road, which is wholly within
Minnesota and therefore not a subject of the
new law.
The manager of Chicago manufacturing
house, in letter to the commission. complains
that he is now compelled to pay his fare, where
formerly he rode upon pass. He asks that
Section % be suspended for the Chicago &c
Northwestern road.
E. NJ Herrick, president of the Pacific Pine
Lumber Company, and e. G. Williams presi-
dent of the Redwood Manufacturing Assooia-
ton, of San Francisco, have telegraphed the
commission as follows "Our two CORPORATE ons
employing eight to ten thousand men. and bout
$780, 600. 600 capital. have addressed you by mail,
stating that Eastern business has been
entirely destroyed By the operation of tho law,
and asking your interposition in our behalf
Meanwhile. will you allow the roads over which
we have been operating to give old rates and SO
revive our business with the East provided the
rate 10 open and available for al2"
A. Lusk & Co., of San Francisco. have tele-
graphed: 1.-The fruit interests of this State.
which are of great and growing Importance are
seriously ieopardzed by the workings of the in
terstate-commerce bill. Inasmuch as this inter-
est cannot avail itself of water competition, we
respectfully ask that Section be suspended,
that these interests be not entirely paraiyzed
and great loss eDsue"
H. g. Rodgers, counsel for the League of
American Wheelmen, end Secretary of the Ken
TON Wneel CluD, OIL tOVlnRLon, n.y., cOfnplAi nS
10 the commission that the Covngton g. Cincin-
natl Suspension Bridge Company compel bicy-
clers to dismount and walk over their brid ge,
and yet to pay extra for their bicycles, threaten
ing arrest If wheelman attempts to ride over.
The bridge has street railways over it. hence the
writer assumes that it falls under the provisions
of the interstare-com merce act.
Elk Senator VanWyck has notified the COM
mission of his purpose to be present tomorrow
at the hearing of the transcontinental railroad
interests.